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Position and piece activity beat points

Position and piece activity beat points

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This is a game where I blundered early (as black), and lost my queen. Usually, I'd resign immediately. But something told me to keep on playing. This game illustrates that postiion and piece activity is more important than racking up points against your opponent.

The drama starts on move 21, if you'd like to skip to it.

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Originally posted by vivify
This is a game where I blundered early (as black), and lost my queen. Usually, I'd resign immediately. But something told me to keep on playing. This game illustrates that postiion and piece activity is more important than racking up points against your opponent.

The drama starts on move 21, if you'd like to skip to it.

[pgn][Date "2012.12.07"]
[Res ...[text shortened]... This was my best comeback ever. }
*[/pgn]
Good job confusing the issue and swindling the opponent.

You pointed out that white wanted to eliminate your light-square bishop. He should have kept at it with 29.Bd1, intending Qh2. He got distracted taking all those pawns with the rook while the rest of the army idled.

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Originally posted by vivify
This is a game where I blundered early (as black), and lost my queen. Usually, I'd resign immediately. But something told me to keep on playing. This game illustrates that postiion and piece activity is more important than racking up points against your opponent.

The drama starts on move 21, if you'd like to skip to it.

[pgn][Date "2012.12.07"]
[Res ...[text shortened]... This was my best comeback ever. }
*[/pgn]
Actually, your 46...f2 should have lost the bishop after 47.Rxg4+ Kh7 48.Rf4 because 47.fxg4 Qxg4+ forks king and rook. Lucky for you, white did not see it.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
Good job confusing the issue and swindling the opponent.

You pointed out that white wanted to eliminate your light-square bishop. He should have kept at it with 29.Bd1, intending Qh2. He got distracted taking all those pawns with the rook while the rest of the army idled.
Good point. But I could've moved my H pawn to h5, which would've either freed my bishop, or protected it after capturing white's pawn.

You're right on my opponent getting distracted. He should've focused on bettering his position by capturing the bishop, rather than racking up pawns. As you said, the rest of his arm was idle while he did this, allowing me gain position in the meantime.

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Originally posted by vivify
Good point. But I could've moved my H pawn to h5, which would've either freed my bishop, or protected it after capturing white's pawn.

You're right on my opponent getting distracted. He should've focused on bettering his position by capturing the bishop, rather than racking up pawns. As you said, the rest of his arm was idle while he did this, allowing me gain position in the meantime.
...h5 won't help:

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
...h5 won't help:

[pgn]
[Event "Chess.com"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2012.12.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "khosa1"]
[Black "vivify"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1167"]
[BlackElo "1293"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2r2rk1/1p3p2/p1n4p/3p1R2/P2Pp1PP/2P1P2b/1P1QB3/2K5 w - - 0 29"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
29. Bd1 h5 {? Black's king is too exp ...[text shortened]... 0. Rg5+ Kh7 31. Rxh5+ Kg7 32. Rf5 {and again Qh2 is coming.}
[/pgn]
Good point. This would've only worked had I played h5 on move 25. So the bishop could've been saved, I just moved the wrong pawn, on the 25th move.